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LAHORE: Accusing the police of deliberately killing hostage judges in the SialkotJailshootout, counsel for the deceased judges’ families told a division bench of the LahoreHighCourt on Thursday that the police had launched a “killing operation” instead of a rescue operation. The bench headed by Justice MazharIqbalSidhu is hearing appeals against the acquittal of policeofficers in a shootout at the SialkotDistrictJail on July25, 2003, where four judges of lower judiciary and five prisoners-cum-captors were killed. Another judge was injured.

Advocate GhulamAbadBukhari, counsel for the appellants, said that the police did not allow enough time for negotiations for the safe release of the judges. They had also taken some women prisoners hostage.

Serving jail terms in various cases of kidnapforransom and robbery, the armed prisoners had taken the judges hostage when they were visiting the jail on their monthly judicial inspection. The prisoners wanted their freedom in return for the release of the judges.

They had also demanded that the police provide them with kalashnikovs and free their family members, who had been arrested to pressure the captors to release the hostages.

Had the police met their demands, Advocate Bukhari said, the hostages could have been saved.

He said instead of holding talks with the captors, the police initiated an operation which resulted in the deaths of nine people.

He said the then stationhouseofficerZulfiqarVirk concerned provoked the captors by hurling abuse at them before the operation.

He also accused a DrFirdous of being responsible for the death of Judge SyedShehryarBokhari, who was injured in the shootout. He said the doctor was busy giving protocol to the then inspector general of police and could therefore not give the proper first aid to the injured judge.

Former Sialkot deputy inspector general MalikMohammadIqbal, SialkotDistrictPoliceOfficer (DPO) AmjadJaveedSaleemi, GujratDPORajaMunawarHussain, Sialkot Superintendent of PoliceSikandar Hayat and AllamaIqbal Memorial HospitalSialkot surgeon DrSajidHussain are among the 23accused of complicity in the deaths.

The appeal was jointly moved by the families of the deceased judges Bokhari, AsifMumtazAhmadCheema, SagheerAnwar and ShahidMunirRanjha.

The incident took place when a team of judicial officers headed by SialkotAdditionalDistrict and SessionsJudgeChaudhryZafarHussain was visiting the district jail on July25, 2003. Some prisoners had openedfire at them and held four judges and five women prisoners hostage. The women were taken back into police custody after the shootout.

An anti–terrorismcourt on December23, 2006acquitted23accused. ASPRajaMushtaqAhmad and warden MuhammadHafeez were convicted and imprisoned.